The stage is dark and vacant, and people are busy chatting away as they wait for the main act to start.

In the background, a delightful selection of rock-steady music colours the cool air down at the Valletta Waterfront, interrupted only once a number of silhouettes take to the stage in total darkness and slip into an intro that cuts off just as the lights come on, accompanied by the opening chords of So Far Gone.

James Blunt appears and swiftly takes his position behind the microphone centre-stage, a smile vaguely visible on his face and not much interaction bar his introduction of Wisemen, which he describes as “a miserable song, which I am known for best”, and a promise to “turn up the heat” later.

Half an hour and nine songs into the concert, the excitement levels only seem to have gotten as far as the (largely) female faction firmly rooted down the front, and it’s only after Blunt sits at the piano and performs Goodbye My Lover that the concert really takes off, thanks to the sound suddenly becoming crisper, louder and reaching all the way to the back, and the lights finally being utilised to create the atmosphere that one usually expects at a live concert.

This coincidentally is also when Blunt finally begins to “turn up the heat”. The audience is more responsive, thanks largely to the fact that Blunt gets more interactive, throwing in the odd Maltese word and basically getting into the swing of things.

With much of the performance being a pretty straightforward run-through of his best-known hits and most of his 2010 album, Some Kind of Trouble, Blunt plays the crowd card for that added impact, bringing the audience on board to do their bit and sing along. This they do all too gladly, especially when he performs breakthrough hit You’re Beautiful.

While I must admit I wasn’t blown away by the overall performance there’s no denying that the majority of those present had a great time.

Personally, I think the songs Superstar, So Long Jimmy and the third (and final) encore 1973 were the highlights on the night, and I strongly believe this concert would have been better suited had it been a seated affair in line with the rest of his ongoing tour.

On a separate note, I do hope that the ‘no alcohol’ fiasco is resolved sensibly by the authorities.

Surely in 2011 there are ways to control the sale of alcohol without resorting to prohibition era tactics.